Improved signal and switch for railways



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. FITZGERALD. RAILROAD SIGNAL AND SWITCH.

No. '91,732, Patented June 22, 1869.

L THC unnms PETERS co.. WASHINGTON, u c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. FITZGERALD. RAILROAD SIGNAL AND SWITCH.

No. 9 ,732. Patented June 22, 1869.

not,

DANlEL FITZGERALD, OF NEW YORK, N.

Letters Patent No. 91,732, dated June 22, 1869.

IMPROVED SIG-$18.1; AND SWITCH POE RAILWAYQ. W

4 The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the name.

To 'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL FITZGERALD, of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Signals and Switches; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference heing had to the accompanying drawings, and ,to the letters of reference marked thereon. i r

The nature of my invention consists in the coustruciion and arrangement oficcrtain devices hereinafter to be described, wheretiy signals can be transmitted from a train of cars, whether standing still or in motion, to the station, or to another train 'of' cars, or nice verse; and also in the arrangement of certain devices whereby a switch, if placed wrong, will he changed by the approaching train itself.

in order to enable others skilled in the art towhich my invention appertains, tB-make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is aplan view; 1

Figure 2 is a side elevation; and

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section.

A A represent the rails of the main track, and B B are the switch-rails, which are connected by a bar, G, having an arm, D, with a weight, E, attached undernenlh the track, so as to keep; by its own weight, the main track open at all times, unless acted upon by two hingcdjevers, F 1 which are operated by another lever, G, pivoted to a. standard at the side of the track. y

By raising the lever G, the switch will be opened, and as soon as the force is removed from the same, then the weight E will at once bring the switch back, so that the main track is open,

Along the whole track une stretched telegraphwires (to, and at rcgulanlintervals, said wires are hrought across the truck, as seen in Figure 1.

All these wires connect with some telegraph-apparatns'at each station. a, 1 t

H rcprcsmlts a railroad-can, having, at a suitable point inside, a tclograpll-nppztratus, connecting with adjustable conductors b b, on. )1? of the car.

Those conductors are so arrnngcdlou top of the car that they will comcin contactivith the wires stretched across the truck, or may be turned so as to come in contort with the wires alongside the track.

in either case, the electric cdrreu'tbecomesmomen inrily established, and, consequently, notice is given at the station of the approaching train.

Ii the \riresnn: stretched across the track at regulm-iuicrvnls, say, for instance, very mile or two, then, oi roux-s0, the otwhcrczdn-nis oi' the. train is also readily nscertnined. I ii 7 When the conductors b b are placed so as to come in contact with the wires stretched alongside of track, then the electric current becomes continuous, so that xnessagesmay be sent from the train to the station, or nice worse, or to and from another train.

It will readily be seen, that by these means, collis ions or accidents of almost any kind may be avoided.

When the-conductors b b are turned, so as to come in contact with the wires alongside the track, I may provide said conductors with friction-rollers, as shown in the drawings.

. Should, by some means, the mechanism above described for operating the switch become out of order, and, consequently, the switch be open, then the train itself can be made to close the some in the following manner: r L

On one side of the main track is pivoted a. bar, I, which extends over, and is pivoted to the bar 0.

At the side of the outer or loose end of the bar I is placed an electro-lnagnet, J, from which wires 0 0 extend, and connect with the wires a: a, alongside of the track.

If the switch is closed, the bar 1 lies close up to the electro-maguet J but it it is open, or partially open, then this end of the bar I is more or less distant from the magnet.

When the train now approaches the switch, and it is found to be open, the conductors l) b are thrown outward, so as to come iii-contact with the wires ca, when the electric current at once causes the magnet to drawthe bar 1 towards it, and, consequently, close the switch.

So as to notify the engineer of the approachingat the post, and extends towards another hollow post,

L, placed near the switch, this end of the cord E being attached to a weight, N, in the hollow post L.

When theswitoh is open, this weight rests on the bar I, the post L being out outsufiiciently to allow the said her to enter the post for that purpose, when the plunger (I will be below the aperture in the post K. 7

But when the switch is closed, then the weight tails down, so as to bring the plunger (1 opposite the opening, and, being painted in some bright color, it will, even at a considerable distance, show that the switch is all right.

It will be observed that when the switch is closed, it cannot be opened without first raising the weight, and, consequently,at coco change the signal in the post K.

For foggy weather, or when signals could not be aen, I attach to the switch an alarm, M, which is so anstrncted, that when the switch is open, the alarm s constantly sounding, but not when the switch is losed.

This alarm is connected with the her 0, so that the movement of said bar Will operate the same. Having thus fully described my invention,

\Vhat I claim as new,-and desire to secure by Leters Patent, is-

1. In combination with telegraplnwires and conluctors, arranged as nagnet to close a switch by an electric current, :omrnunicaterl to said magnet from an approaching :rain, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The arrangement of the switch-rails B 13, bar 0, arm D, weight E, and levers F 1* and G, all substan- Liully as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The arrangement of the hollow posts K and L,

above described, an electroplunger :1, connecting-cord e, and weight N, constructed and combined with a switch, as. described, so as to signal to an approaching train whether the i wltflll is open or not, all substantially as herein set orth.

4. In combination with the switch-rails B B, bar G, arni D, weight E, and levers 1* h and G, the alarm M, so constructed and connected. with the bar G, that it will hesouuiled or set in motion when the switch is misplaced, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The arrangement of thc telegraph-wires a a and. adjustable conductors b b, provided with friction-rollers, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

DANIEL FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

E. H. Sm'm, H. B. Bnown. 

